The Forest of Dean District Council has released figures showing that a total of 149 new affordable rental and shared ownership properties were built for Forest of Dean residents last year.

The council enabled the development of 86 affordable rental properties and 63 shared ownership homes in 2021.

A total of 57 homes were constructed at Mannings Farm in Drybrook - the Forest of Dean's first factory-built modular housing scheme. The project was supported by a £45,000 contribution from the district council and will provide 37 new affordable rent properties and 20 shared ownership homes.

A brownfield regeneration development at Tufthorn Avenue in Coleford will provide 45 affordable rent properties and 19 shared ownership opportunities once complete.

Southend Nurseries, on the site of a former garden nursery in Newent, will also provide 36 affordable rent properties for local residents.

Thirty-one of these affordable homes were provided in settlements with a population of less than 3,000, to help meet rural housing needs.

Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr Claire Vaughan, said: "Last year was really promising for us. One of our key priorities as your District Council is to help provide our residents with housing that suits their needs at prices they can afford, and it is great to be able to look back and see that 86 new affordable rent properties were made available in 2021, along with more than 60 shared ownership homes that can help people make their first steps on to the property ladder.

"Looking ahead to this year, there are more promising developments on the way that will help ensure our residents have access to the housing options that they need and that they can afford."